Coal-chute.



No. 701,227. Patented May 27 I902.- w. H. sums.

' coAL CHUTE.

(Application filed Jan. 4, 1902.]

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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N0. 703L227. Patented May 27, I902.

W. H. SIMMS.

COAL CHUTE.

(Application filed Jam 4, 1902.) No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheot 2.

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WILLIAM H. SIMMS, OF GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA.

COAL-CH UTE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 1\l'o. 701,227, dated May 27, 1902. Application filed January 4, 1902. Serial No. 88,396. (No model.)

chutes are built in series along a high trestlework, so that the coal-cars on the tracks along the top of the trestle may discharge their coal directly into an engine or car standing on tracks at the bottom of'the chute, on either side thereof.

My invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement ofparts hereinafter described with reference to the drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an end elevation taken just outside one of my double coal-chutes, the coalcar tracks above and the parapet-walls on each side being in cross-section. Fig. 2 is a plan View. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, and Fig. 4: isa vertical cross-section taken on line at 4 of Fig. 2.

The trestle shows in cross-section (see Fig. 1) the following timbers: upright struts A A, which are spread apart at the bottom and stepped upon a sill X and which converge at the top and terminate immediately below the two stringers S S, which support the elevated railway-tracks R R. Vithin the struts A A there are two others, B B, of equal length,

which are halved and cross each other near the top. One of each of these struts B is joined at the base to the outer and larger strut A and at the top passes over to a position beneath the rail R on the opposite side. These two pairs of struts are connected near the middle by a horizontal cross-bar Y, which makes with the struts two A-shaped frames, the apex of one of which is below one rail R and the apex of the other below the other rail R, and the two frames intersect each other. Across the tops of the struts A and B is a top cross-bar Z, upon which the stringers for the track are laid. The outer ends of the sill X and cross-bars Y and Z are connected to and supported by vertical standards T, which rise a little above the level of l the tracks R and are sheathed with boards Uinside and out to form parapet-walls.

In the upper portion of the trestle-work there is a double-inclined chute M, Fig. 4, whose highest point is in a vertical line midway between and below the railway-tracks, so that the coal dumped between the tracks from the bottom-dump cars may pass to both or either side of the trestle into the cars or to the tender of an engine below. A deflector D is hinged to the top of the double chute and may be thrown over to one side or the other to throw the falling coal into one side or the other exclusively.

At the lower edge of each chute M there is a vertically-adjustable gate C, sliding in guides c c, and between the gate and the interior of the chute thereis a wall D,-which extends from the top to nearly the bottom, leaving only a small opening for the coal to pass out, which opening, however, is the full width of the chute, so that the coal may pass freely out without hanging along the sides. The object of this interior wall D is to prevent the coal from bearing with frictional contact against the gate, which would make it difficult to raise and lower it, especially when made the full width of the chute, as shown. This gate'C is rigidly connected to a stiff metal rod 0, extending some distance above it, and this rod is inturn attached to a chain c, that passes over a pulley 0 above,

and then descends and is connected to'a lever C fulcrumed "to the side of the chute and having a pull-cord 0 by which the-lever is operated from below. The object in having the gate provided with a rigidly-attached rod to lift it by is to hold the gate horizontal and true in its guides and prevent it from getting out of level and binding at the ends.

Just below the gate on each side of the double chute there is an apron E, hinged to the bottom edge 'of the chute and arranged to be folded upwardly to a vertical position to inclose the gate, as shown on the left of Figs. 1 and 4, or be turned down to the position shown on the right to carry the coal discharged from the chute Well over and into the tender of the engine or the car below. This apron has upwardly-flanged sides and is supported and balanced by cords or chains e at the sides, which pass from the outer edge of the apron up to and over pulleys e in the framework and then descend to and connect with the opposite ends of a horizontal balance-weight I guided on a vertical rod f. This weight occupies a position below and immediately beneath another supplemental weight F in the same vertical plane and independentlysuspended by cords or chains f. When the apron is in its lowermost position or at and near the horizontal, the lowermost weight is drawn up, so that it comes in contact with and lifts also the supplemental weight F, as on the right of Figs. 1 and 4, so that when the position of the apron is such as to exercise the greatest leverage it is balanced by both weights. When, however, the apron in closing passes the horizontal line and its leverage begins to decrease, the lower weight drops away from the upper one, and the closing power being reduced accordingly the apron is not so liable to close with a slam as it would if pulled all the way shut by the 'full power of both weights. It will be seen that the apron is balanced in a differential way, the balance-weights being automatically adjustable to the leverage exercised by the different positions of the apron.

In supplying coal to an engine-tender the coal is brought to a size not exceeding eight inches, and as many lumps are larger than this I have provided means in my chute for conveniently breaking these large lumps to the required size. From the stringer of one of the rails a grating G of parallel iron bars is arranged, leading below the other stringer to a cross-plate H, and these bars are spaced apart a distance sufficient to allow coal of a less size than eight inches to pass through, while the larger lumps are caught by this grating and retained on plate I-I long enough to be broken by a pick, for which purpose a man is placed on a removable board Iabove this compartment of the chute. When this chute is empty, the large lumps are prevented from dropping down out of reach of the workman by a series of retaining-pins p, which pass through a cross-plate H and also the plate H. When the chute is filled with coal, these pins maybe removed, as the lumps will then be discharged upon the coal in the chute and be broken by the workman, who may then remove the supporting-board I and stand upon the coal itself.

It will be understood that the chute as thus described is to be arranged in a series, with as many of them side by side as may be desired, and they may, if desired, be provided with a suitable roof or cover.

I am aware that a double inclined coalchute is not new and that such chutes have been provided with vertically adjustable gates at their lower ends and also a hinged apron having balance-weights, and I do not claim any of these features broadly.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A chute having a hinged apron at its lower end with supporting-chains on each side, and pulleys over which said chains pass, a horizontal weight having its opposite ends connected to said chains, a second horizontal weight independently supported above the first-named weight in the same vertical plane therewith, and means for guiding said weights in their vertical movements substantially as described.

2. A chute having a hinged apron at its lower end with supporting-chains on each side and pulleys over which said chains pass, a horizontal weight having its opposite ends connected to said chains, a horizontal weight independently supported above the firstnamed weight in the same vertical plane therewith and a vertical guide-rod passing through both of said weights substantially as described.

3. A chute having an inclined bottom and a vertical Wall extending upwardly from a point near the bottom and having an opening below it the full width of the chute-bottom, vertical guideways at each side of the chute, a gate the full width of the chute arranged in said guideways and having a rigidly-attached rod projecting upwardly from the same, a chain attached to the same, a pulley located above it over which the chain passes, and a lever fulcrumed to the chute and fastened to said chain and having a pull extending to reach from below substantially as described.

4. In a railroad coal-chute, an inclined grating extending from one rail to a point below the other rail, and retaining devices at the end of said grating for holding the large lumps while being broken substantiallyas described.

, 5. Inarailroad coal-chute, aninclined grating extending from one rail to a point below the other rail, a'receiving-plate connected to the lower end of said grating, and a cross-bar with removable pins passing through the said crossbar and receiving-plate to hold the large lumps while being broken substantially as described.

6. A coal-chute comprising a double inclined chute with gate and delivery devices, track stringers and rails arranged above the same, two A-shaped frames A B, A 13, having their apices below the track-stringers and their feet brought together, and cross-braces and corner-posts substantially as shown and described.

WILLIAM H. SIMMS.

Witnesses:

J. W. MORRIS, O. E. EDWARDS. 

